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Julie Pai
and
Majed Al-Ghandour
In this course, we will cover the basics of visualization and how it fits into the Data Science workflow. We will focus on the main concepts behind the purpose of visualization and the design principles for creating effective, easy-to-communicate results. You will also set up your Tableau environment, practice data loading, and perform univariate descriptive analysis of the S&P 500 stock sectors.
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What's inside
Syllabus
Visualization Fundamentals
Visualization is a crucial skill for data analysts across all disciplines. Viewing data graphically often provides greater intuition than by using statistics or mathematics alone. In this module, we’ll explore the fundamentals of visualization and discuss how visualizations can achieve better insight into data as well as effectively communicate results and conclusions.
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Syllabus
Visualization Fundamentals
Visualization is a crucial skill for data analysts across all disciplines. Viewing data graphically often provides greater intuition than by using statistics or mathematics alone. In this module, we’ll explore the fundamentals of visualization and discuss how visualizations can achieve better insight into data as well as effectively communicate results and conclusions.
Read more
Traffic lights
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause and
possible dealbreakers
Develops foundational skills that are highly relevant to roles in data science and general business analysis
Teaches visual data storytelling that is used in all industries that collect and analyze data
Instructors have extensive experience in using visualization science to solve real-world problems
Primarily uses Tableau software, which is a top choice for data visualization in industry and academia
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Reviews summary
Foundational data visualization & tableau skills
According to learners, this course offers a strong foundation in data visualization best practices, emphasizing design principles for effective communication. Students frequently highlight the clarity of the lectures and the practical application of concepts, particularly through hands-on exercises in Tableau. While it provides an excellent introduction for beginners, some advanced users might find the Tableau coverage limited to univariate analysis. Overall, it is highly recommended for those seeking to improve their data storytelling abilities and create impactful visuals.
Excellent for those new to data visualization; may be basic for advanced learners.
"Highly recommend for anyone starting out in data visualization."
"If you already know a bit about data viz or use Tableau regularly, it might feel a bit slow."
"This course is a good starting point for beginners, but not comprehensive for experienced practitioners."
Provides an excellent theoretical and practical basis for data storytelling.
"This is a solid course for understanding the fundamentals of effective data visualization."
"Completely transformed how I approach data presentation. The focus on human perception and design principles is invaluable."
"I now feel much more confident in creating impactful dashboards after completing this course."
Hands-on exercises with Tableau effectively reinforce learned concepts.
"The Tableau exercises were very helpful for hands-on practice, making theory immediately applicable."
"The Tableau sections were perfectly integrated and allowed for immediate application of the concepts."
"I learned how to use practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."
Explanations are lucid, making complex design principles easy to grasp.
"I particularly enjoyed how the instructor broke down complex design principles into easily digestible concepts."
"The section on the grammar of graphics was particularly insightful."
"This course gave me a strong framework to think about data presentation and truly understand why visuals are effective."
Covers univariate Tableau analysis well, but deeper dives might require additional study.
"While it covers Tableau basics well, I found myself wanting a bit more advanced material beyond univariate analysis."
"I was expecting more advanced techniques or a wider range of tools beyond Tableau for the 'best practices' title."
"A follow-up course diving deeper into Tableau would be beneficial for those aiming for mastery."
Activities
Be better prepared
before
your course. Deepen your understanding
during
and
after
it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered
in Data Visualization Best Practices with these
activities:
Connect with Tableau Experts
Show steps
Provides access to experienced Tableau professionals who can offer guidance, support, and insights, accelerating your learning journey.
Show steps
-
Join online Tableau communities or forums
-
Attend local Tableau user group meetings
-
Reach out to Tableau experts via social media or email
Read 'The Visual Display of Quantitative Information' by Edward Tufte
Show steps
Exposes you to fundamental principles of data visualization from a renowned expert, enhancing your understanding of effective visual communication.
View
Beautiful Evidence
on Amazon
Show steps
-
Read the book thoroughly
-
Analyze the examples and case studies provided
-
Apply the principles to your own visualization projects
Review Basic Statistical Concepts
Show steps
Ensures you have a solid foundation in statistical concepts, enabling you to better comprehend the data you're visualizing.
Browse courses on
Basic Statistics
Show steps
-
Revisit concepts of central tendency (mean, median, mode)
-
Review measures of dispersion (range, standard deviation, variance)
-
Recall basic probability distributions (normal, binomial, Poisson)
One other activity
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all four activities
Design a Tableau Visualization for a Real-World Problem
Show steps
Empowers you to apply your visualization skills to solve real-world problems, showcasing your ability to communicate insights effectively.
Show steps
-
Identify a real-world problem or dataset
-
Clean and prepare the data
-
Design and create a Tableau visualization
-
Write a brief report explaining your findings
Connect with Tableau Experts
Show steps
Provides access to experienced Tableau professionals who can offer guidance, support, and insights, accelerating your learning journey.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Join online Tableau communities or forums
- Attend local Tableau user group meetings
- Reach out to Tableau experts via social media or email
Read 'The Visual Display of Quantitative Information' by Edward Tufte
Show steps
Exposes you to fundamental principles of data visualization from a renowned expert, enhancing your understanding of effective visual communication.
View
Beautiful Evidence
on Amazon
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Read the book thoroughly
- Analyze the examples and case studies provided
- Apply the principles to your own visualization projects
Review Basic Statistical Concepts
Show steps
Ensures you have a solid foundation in statistical concepts, enabling you to better comprehend the data you're visualizing.
Browse courses on
Basic Statistics
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Revisit concepts of central tendency (mean, median, mode)
- Review measures of dispersion (range, standard deviation, variance)
- Recall basic probability distributions (normal, binomial, Poisson)
One other activity
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all four activities
Design a Tableau Visualization for a Real-World Problem
Show steps
Empowers you to apply your visualization skills to solve real-world problems, showcasing your ability to communicate insights effectively.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify a real-world problem or dataset
- Clean and prepare the data
- Design and create a Tableau visualization
- Write a brief report explaining your findings
Career center
Learners who complete Data Visualization Best Practices will develop knowledge and skills
that may be useful to these careers:
Data Visualization Analyst
Data Visualization Analyst
Data Visualization Analysts create visual representations of data to help businesses understand and communicate complex information. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Data Visualization Analyst by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods.
Data Analyst
Data Analyst
Data Analysts use data to solve business problems and make informed decisions. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Data Analyst by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to effectively communicate data-driven insights to stakeholders.
Business Intelligence Analyst
Business Intelligence Analyst
Business Intelligence Analysts use data to identify trends and patterns that can help businesses make better decisions. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Business Intelligence Analyst by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Data Scientist
Data Scientist
Data Scientists use data to solve complex problems and develop new products and services. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Data Scientist by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Market Research Analyst
Market Research Analyst
Market Research Analysts use data to understand consumer behavior and trends. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Market Research Analyst by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
User Experience (UX) Researcher
User Experience (UX) Researcher
User Experience (UX) Researchers study how users interact with products and services. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a User Experience (UX) Researcher by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Product Manager
Product Manager
Product Managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products and services. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Product Manager by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Marketing Managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Marketing Manager by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Sales Manager
Sales Manager
Sales Managers are responsible for leading and motivating sales teams. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Sales Manager by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Financial Analyst
Financial Analyst
Financial Analysts use data to evaluate investments and make recommendations to clients. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Financial Analyst by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Operations Research Analyst
Operations Research Analyst
Operations Research Analysts use data to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations. This course can help build a foundation for a career as an Operations Research Analyst by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Quantitative Analyst
Quantitative Analyst
Quantitative Analysts use data to develop and implement trading strategies. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Quantitative Analyst by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Risk Analyst
Risk Analyst
Risk Analysts use data to identify and assess risks to businesses. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Risk Analyst by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Statistician
Statistician
Statisticians use data to collect, analyze, and interpret data. This course can help build a foundation for a career as a Statistician by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods. This course can help you learn how to use data visualization to communicate insights to stakeholders.
Data Engineer
Data Engineer
Data Engineers design, build, and maintain data pipelines. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as a Data Engineer by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of visualization, design principles, and univariate visualization methods.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/yqs19x/data
Reading list
We've selected 13 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Data Visualization Best Practices.
Save
A classic in the field, providing foundational principles and guidelines for effective data visualization, enhancing the course's theoretical underpinnings.
Provides a comprehensive treatment of information visualization, covering both theoretical foundations and practical techniques, expanding on the course's core concepts.
Save
Focuses on the art of communicating data effectively through compelling visuals, complementing the course's emphasis on presenting insights clearly.
A seminal work in data visualization, offering advanced insights and techniques for creating effective and informative visuals, further expanding on the course's theoretical foundation.
Save
Examines common pitfalls and biases in data visualization, providing valuable insights into the responsible use of visuals and enhancing the course's emphasis on ethical practices.
Explores the cognitive processes involved in visual perception and how they relate to data visualization, offering insights into the human factors behind effective visuals.
Save
Focuses on the ethics and responsible use of data visualization, complementing the course's emphasis on communicating insights clearly and accurately.
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of data visualization fundamentals and best practices, serving as a solid foundation for the course's concepts.
Save
Focuses on using the ggplot2 library in R for data visualization, offering practical insights and examples that complement the course's hands-on component.
Save
Provides a concise and accessible overview of data visualization techniques, offering practical guidance for creating effective visuals.
Covers the latest techniques and tools for creating interactive data visualizations on the web, providing additional knowledge for those interested in exploring this aspect of data visualization.
Save
Offers a non-technical introduction to data visualization, making it accessible to a wider audience and supporting the course's goal of fostering data literacy.
Save
Provides a foundation in reading and interpreting charts and graphs, serving as a valuable resource for the course's emphasis on data exploration and analysis.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/yqs19x/data
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Rating
3.9
Effort
8 hours to complete
Via
Coursera
Institution
University of California, Irvine
Instructors
Julie Pai
Majed Al-Ghandour
Language
English
Transcripts
Español
Français
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Deutsch
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中文
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Bahasa Indonesia
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This course belongs to a
collection
called
Use Tableau for Your Data Science Workflow. It's comprised of three courses:
- Data Visualization Best Practices (viewing)
- Dashboarding and Deployment
- Data Storytelling
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